TK Cucumber Recipes That’ll Keep You Cool As A … Well, You Know (2024)

Known as horiatiki, this traditional Greek salad is made with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, and feta. The easy dressing is a mixture of red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil. Simply said, it's the best.

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Here at Delish, we're OBSESSED with pickles. Lucky for us, they're ridiculously easy to make at home. Check out our tips and tricks for best results.

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Bonus for this recipe: you get to smash out a little bit of pent-up anger in the process! The resulting uneven, craggy texture of split cucumbers is perfect for grabbing and holding on to that delicious, seasoned oil.

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Though we'll always love a classic, tomato-baed gazpacho, the addition of watermelon gives the soup a delicious subtle sweetness we can't get enough of. Full of juicy, bright fruit and additional veggies like cucumbers and bell peppers, this no-cook soup is equal parts satisfying and refreshing.

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Our lemon-parsley vinaigrette is perfectly tart and fresh with a hint of spice and you can put it on everything. Not a fan of olives or bell peppers? Cherry tomatoes and diced ripe avocado will fill that flavor gap. Want to keep it dairy free? Sub in another form of protein in place of the feta, like a couple of hard-boiled eggs or a can of tuna, or a handful of chopped toasted nuts.

Get the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad recipe.

This South Asian yogurt-based condiment comes in infinite varieties, from cooling cucumber like this one, to sweet banana, to bright and crisp sliced onion. Though typically served with South Asian dishes like biryani, kebabs, and naan (along with countless other dishes), raita can improve pretty much anything—from hamburgers to falafel.

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This crunchy cucumber snack is inspired by popular California roll sushi, without any of that pesky rolling. Got furikake? It'd be delicious sprinkled on top as the final garnish.

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Watermelon + cucumbers is one of the most refreshing combos of all time. Throw in some mint, red onion, and feta and toss it all with a very simple vinaigrette (just olive oil + red wine vinegar), and you've got yourself a mean summer salad.

Get the Watermelon Feta Salad recipe.

We know what you’re thinking. Whiskey??? What in the world are you doing pairing whiskey and tonic? But before you judge us too much, we urge you to try this twist on the classic. The warm vanilla-y notes add a whole new dimension, especially when paired with classic G&T garnishes like cucumber and rosemary.

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Tzatziki is a big name for a simple sauce that goes well on chicken shawarma, served with more cucumbers and pita, and everything else you want it on. It's the condiment we always keep in our fridge—just in case.

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Most bánh mì sandwiches include cilantro and cucumber, so we added those ingredients to a nước chấm to pair with these skewers. Nước chấm is a common Vietnamese dipping sauce that's served with a variety of dishes. Our version adds a wallop of freshness and herbaceousness to these kebabs, but you can truly pair it with anything.

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Don't confuse this colorful salad with guac—there's way more depth of flavor and variety of texture, which makes it one of our favorite summer sides of all time. But the real beauty? You're totally welcome to still eat it with tortilla chips. (Just know it also tastes amazing alongside pretty much anything.)

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Good rule of thumb (you know, in life): the simpler, the better. These flavor-packed lettuce wraps are as simple as it gets for a weeknight dinner, thanks in particular to some delicious cucumber quick pickles that add crunch and flavor, but not a ton of prep time.

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This is one of those classic summer salads that we weren't sure about until we took a bite for ourselves. Now we're hooked on the cucumber slices in a lemon juice, Greek yogurt, and dill dressing. Your BBQ guests will thank you.

Get the Cucumber Salad recipe.

This bright, satisfying summer salad comes together in 10 minutes tops—once you've got it down, feel free to riff on the ingredients, adding different veggies, fruits, and beans. Just don't skip that cucumber! It adds the perfect crunch.

Get the Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad recipe.

Although nothing's faster than picking up a sandwich from your favorite falafel joint, we promise that making these falafel balls at home is a cinch. What will make it taste just as good as takeout? Yep, the crunch of an easy cucumber salad (plus some tzatziki and hummus).

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Water is so much more fun with flavor! Cucumber and mint is the OG option, but we've included peach-ginger and strawberry-lime here too—feel free to get creative!

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Loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta, this dip was inspired by our Greek salad. (Though it's missing the olives, onion, and oregano.) For a smoother, fluffy consistency, we added yogurt and cream cheese. Full disclaimer: This recipe makes a LOT of dip. We've never had a problem demolishing it, but it's easily halved if you're having a smaller get-together.

Get the Greek Feta Dip recipe.

These homemade summer rolls (aka shrimp rolls) make the perfect light appetizer or lunch, especially when dipped in a peanut dipping sauce. For our recipe, we rolled shrimp, rice noodles, crunchy vegetables like cucumbers, and herbs into rice paper sheets, but the dish is highly adaptable.

Get the Summer Rolls With Peanut Dipping Sauce recipe.

If you're a fan of refreshing, low-alcohol drinks like the ever-popular Aperol Spritz, you're going to love this sweet and floral co*cktail. True, the cucumber is an optional garnish, but it adds an extra refreshing note we don't recommend skipping.

Get the St. Germain Spritz recipe.